Psycho-social game that measures emotional distance between players' responses

• US 6,029,975 A
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donna L. Siemers
• Original Assignee: Donna L. Siemers
• Inventors: Siemers, Donna L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendiratta, Vishu K.
• Application Number:
  US08/584,158
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 273/242, 273/243, 273/248, 273/249
• US Class Current: 273/242
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0067 Score or tally sheets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00 Board games; Raffle games racing games, traffic games, or obstacle games characterised by figures moved by action of the players A63F9/14

Abstract

A method for determining the emotional distance between individuals. A method of evaluating the emotional distance between individuals is described by use of a game process wherein the players are provided with a number of hypothetical human interaction situations, offered a set of possible responses for each situation, and are also given an opportunity to create unique responses. A coding system is provided for prepared responses, and a response coding flow sheet is provided for determining the behavior category of the players'"'"'s response. Players each set forth their response behavior code on the game board. The majority response is established, and the distance of each individual from the majority is determined. The method includes a scorekeeping system for determining the emotional distance between players responses. The method includes providing to the player a game score for the player'"'"'s response selection wherein the value of the game score is based upon the player'"'"'s ability to take the role of the other, i.e., the ability to respond to the same board position or behavior category. The winner of the game process is the player whose response choices express the least emotional distance between his response choices and the response choices of the other players.

Claims

1. A method for measurement of the emotional distance between two or more preselected individuals in one or more preselected social situations, said method comprising:

(a) selecting a description of one or more social situations for presentation in a tangible medium of expression;

(b) presenting via a tangible medium of expression said description of said one or more social situations to each of such two or more preselected individuals, and then

(c) presenting each of such two or more preselected individuals with a plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations;

(d) recording in a tangible medium of expression the actual response provided by each of such two or more preselected individuals to each of said one or more social situations, wherein each actual response to each of said one or more social situations is selected from said plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations, and wherein each actual response is recorded in a preselected behavior type category;

(e) comparing said behavior types by measuring the distance, on an ordinal scale including two or more preselected behavior type categories, between any of said two or more preselected behavior type categories into which the answers provided by each of said individuals in actual response to said one or more social situations has been recorded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting, via a tangible medium of expression, said description of said one or more social situations to two or more preselected individuals, is accomplished by (a) recording said description of one or more social situations in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base, and (b) showing such recording to each of said two or more preselected individuals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of presenting, via a tangible medium of expression, a plurality of possible responses to one or more social situations to two or more preselected individuals, is accomplished by (a) recording said description of said possible responses in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base, and (b) showing such recording to each of said two or more preselected individuals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of recording, in a tangible medium of expression, the actual response provided by each of such two or more individuals by a preselected behavior type, is accomplished by recording in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed score cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the step of comparing said behavior type categories by measuring the distance, on an ordinal scale including two or more preselected behavior type categories, between any of said two or more preselected behavior type categories into which the answers provided by each of said individuals in actual response to said one or more social situations has been recorded,

is accomplished by a method selected from the group comprising (i) display on a playing board, (ii) manual computation with pen and paper, and (iii) mathematical calculations performed on a general purpose computer, using data stored in a data base program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said preselected behavior type categories comprise

(a) IN-FACE behavior, and

(b) OUT-OF-FACE behavior.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said possible responses comprise at least three behavior type categories.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least three behavior type categories comprise behavior type categories:

(a) SOLIDARITY,

(b) NEGOTIATION, and

(c) NON-COMPLIANT behavior.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said NEGOTIATION behavior type category further comprises the behavior type categorized as EXPLANATION.

10. The method of claim 8 or claim 5, wherein said behavior type category identified as NEGOTIATION further comprises the behavior type categorized as COMPLIANCE.

11. The method of claim 8, or claim 9, or claim 10, wherein said NEGOTIATION behavior type category further comprises the behavior type categorized as a REQUEST.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said behavior type categorized as NON-COMPLIANT further comprises the behavior type categorized as CHALLENGE.

13. The method of claim 8 or claim 12, wherein said NON-COMPLIANT behavior type further comprises the behavior type categorized as AVOIDANCE.

14. The method of claim 8 or claim 12 or claim 13, wherein said NON-COMPLIANT behavior type further comprises the behavior type categorized as MAKING POINTS.

15. A method for measurement of the emotional distance between two or more preselected individuals in one or more preselected social situations, said method comprising:

(a) selecting a description of one or more social situations for presentation in a tangible medium of expression;

(b) presenting via a tangible medium of expression said description of said one or more social situations to two or more preselected individuals, and then

(c) presenting each of such two or more preselected individuals with a plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations;

(d) recording in a tangible medium of expression the actual response provided by each of such two or more preselected individuals to each of said one or more social situations, wherein each actual response to each of said one or more social situations is selected from said plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations, and wherein each actual response is recorded in a preselected behavior type category;

(e) comparing said behavior types by measuring the distance, on an ordinal scale including at least seven preselected behavior type categories, between any of said at least seven preselected behavior type categories into which the answers provided by each of said individuals in actual response to said one or more social situations has been recorded, and

(f) wherein said at least seven behavior type categories comprise a set of at least the following behavior type categories;

(i) SOLIDARITY;

(ii) EXPLANATION;

(iii) COMPLIANCE;

(iv) a REQUEST;

(v) a CHALLENGE;

(vi) AVOIDANCE; and

(vii) MAKING POINTS.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of presenting, via a tangible medium of expression, said description of said one or more social situations to two or more preselected individuals, is accomplished by (a) recording said description of one or more social situations in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base, and (b) showing such recording to each of said two or more preselected individuals.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of presenting, via a tangible medium of expression, a plurality of possible responses to one or more social situations to two or more preselected individuals, is accomplished by (a) recording said description of said possible responses in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base, and (b) showing such recording to each of said two or more preselected individuals.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of recording, in a tangible medium of expression, the actual response provided by each of such two or more individuals by a preselected behavior type, is accomplished by recording in a medium selected from the group comprising (i) printed score cards, (ii) pen and paper, and (iii) a general purpose computer with data base.

19. The method as described in claim 15, wherein a value is assigned to each of said behavior type categories along an ordinal variable, said value determinant of the sequence and relation of each of said behavior type categories one to another, so as to establish a distance value between said behavior type categories, each from the other.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein

the step of comparing said behavior type categories by measuring the distance, on an ordinal scale including two or more preselected behavior type categories, between any of said two or more preselected behavior type categories into which the answers provided by each of said individuals in actual response to said one or more social situations has been recorded,

is accomplished by a method selected from the group comprising (i) display on a playing board, (ii) manual computation with pen and paper, and (iii) mathematical calculations performed on a general purpose computer, using data stored in a data base program.

21. The method as described in claim 20, further comprising analyzing the distance between said behavior type categories of said preferred responses, of each of said two or more preselected individuals, one from the other, to each preselected social situation.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further comprising analyzing the average value of the behavior type categories selected in response to each preselected social situation, for all of said two or more preselected individuals being evaluated.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22, wherein each of the behavior type categories which are identified are ordered with respect to the other, in a set of variables comprising the preselected behavior type categories, so that each succeeding behavior type category along an ordinal direction corresponds to a behavior type category that functions on an increased level of emotional distance, so as to form a gradient between behavior type categories along an ordinal variable, so that emotional distance is measured by determining the distance between the location of said behavior type categories along said ordinal variable.

24. A game process for measuring the emotional distance between two or more players'"'"' responses to a set of preselected social situations, wherein said game process comprises the steps of:

(a) selecting a description of one or more social situations for presentation in a tangible medium of expression;

(b) presenting via a tangible medium of expression said description of said one or more social situations to two or more preselected game players, and then

(c) presenting each of such two or more preselected game players with a plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations;

(d) recording in a tangible medium of expression the actual response provided by each of such two or more preselected game players to each of said one or more social situations, wherein each actual response to each of said one or more social situations is selected from said plurality of possible responses to each of said one or more social situations, and wherein each actual response is recorded in a preselected behavior type category;

(e) analyzing each of such preferred responses to determine the quality of such preferred responses by categorizing each preferred response to determine a response code, wherein each of said responses are categorized by behavior type and each behavior type corresponds to a response code; and

(f) comparing said behavior types by measuring the distance between said categorized behavior types, each of which categorized behavior types represent said preferred responses from each of such preselected game players, on an ordinal scale;

(g) wherein said at least seven categories are provided for said behavior type categories, and wherein said behavior type categories comprise a set of at least the following;

(i) SOLIDARITY;

(ii) EXPLANATION;

(iii) COMPLIANCE;

(iv) a REQUEST;

(v) a CHALLENGE;

(vi) AVOIDANCE; and

(vii) MAKING POINTS.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the game process is played on a game board having a plurality of playing spaces comprising a set of behavior type categories, said behavior type categories ordered on said board in a graduated relationship so as to represent increasing levels of emotional distance between said possible response choices of said preselected game players, so that the distance between the playing spaces corresponds to the distance between behavior type categories being selected from said possible responses.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said preselected game players is provided with a board marker for indicating said player his position on the game board, and wherein the game process further comprises the step of moving each player'"'"'s board marker to the playing space corresponding to that of said player'"'"'s preferred response code corresponding to the behavior type category selected by that player in response to a preselected social situation which is presented.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the game process further comprises awarding one FACE POINT chip to each preselected game player whose board marker position corresponds to the position on said game board of a majority of the board markers of all of said preselected game players.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the game process further comprises awarding one DISTANCE POINT chip to each preselected game player for each space on said board by which that game player'"'"'s board marker position is located away from the board marker position of the majority of game players, so that the DISTANCE POINT chip represents the emotional distance of a selected game player from the position of the majority of the game players.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein each DISTANCE POINT chip corresponds with one playing space of distance between (a) the behavior type category selected by a preselected game player as indicated by his response code, and represented by the location of his board marker position, and (b) the behavior type category selected by the majority of game players, as indicated by the response code of the majority of game players, and as represented by the location of board marker positions of the majority of game players.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein each FACE POINT chip awarded corresponds with agreement between (a) the response code of the preselected game player and (b) the response code of the majority of preselected game players, (c) so that there is a common location between the board marker position of a preselected game player and the board marker positions of the majority of preselected game players.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said game board surface comprises seven playing spaces, and wherein each of said seven playing spaces corresponds to a preselected behavior type category.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein each playing space contains a symbol indicator that corresponds to a preselected behavior type category.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein each behavior type category functions as an indicator of a preselected game player'"'"'s externally observable response to a preselected social situation, so that by comparison between behavior type categories which are chosen by various players amongst a preselected group of game players, an indicia of the emotional distance between such players, when they face the same social situation, can be determined.

34. The method as set forth in claim 33, wherein the said seven playing spaces correspond to a gradient of seven behavior type categories, along which gradient an indicia of emotional distance between preselected game players may be determined.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34 wherein said seven levels of behavior type categories correspond to seven mutually exclusive and exhaustive functional categories of behavior types.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35, wherein said seven playing spaces correspond to the behavior type categories comprising

(i) SOLIDARITY;

(ii) EXPLANATION;

(iii) COMPLIANCE;

(iv) a REQUEST;

(v) a CHALLENGE;

(vi) AVOIDANCE; and

(vii) MAKING POINTS.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the number of REQUEST response codes accumulated by a preselected game player corresponds with the amount of dominance by that preselected game player which is externally observed by each of the other of said preselected game players.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein an increase in the NON-COMPLIANT behavior type category response codes accumulated by a preselected game player corresponds with a predicted decrease in productivity of an individual.

39. The method of claim 39, wherein an increase in the NON-COMPLIANT behavior type category response codes accumulated by a preselected game player corresponds to a dislike amongst preselected game players.